The country home of President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday bowed to flood in Otuoke community of Bayelsa State, prompting the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, to order the immediate evacuation of the residents of the community.
Leadership gathered that the flood, which has swallowed more than half of the community in the last few weeks, eventually moved towards the residence of the president, submerging a large part of the house. Community sources said the kinsmen to the president came to the rescue of the first family and salvaged some of the property of the first family.
Assessing the level of damage during his visit to the affected areas, the governor through his deputy, Rear Admiral Gborubiogha John Jonah (rtd), said the governor has directed the evacuation of the affected area to one of the relief camps located in the community.
The evacuation, according to him, became imperative in view of the hardship that victims of the flood had been subjected to, and, to avert the outbreak of epidemics, adding that the state government was taking the pro active measure with the rising level of water.
Commiserating with the victims, the governor assured that no stone would be left unturned at ensuring that the victims bounced back to life, especially those that had lost their means of livelihood to flooding.
He said the government had ordered importation of seedlings in readiness for the next planting season in order to guide against shortage of food.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan during his visit assured the people, especially the victims of government support in alleviating their hardship.
Investigations revealed that about 85 percent of Bayelsa State has been submerged by the rampaging flood.
I will soon be a refugee – Bayelsa Governor
Meanwhile, Governor Dickson during an interactive session with journalists last night said he was shocked to discover that the president’s house, occupied during the two day official visit to tour flood ravaged areas has been submerged.
He noted that his former federal constituency office had also been swallowed by the flood. He said the state government house might be the next on the line to be submerged.
He said: “Very soon, I may become a refugee like many other displaced persons in the state.”
He said he had contacted the president on the development and requested assistance from the chief of army staff for military engineers to assist in the rebuilding efforts.
SOURCE: Leadership
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